The present invention relates generally to the field of mail processing machines and systems for using such, and in particular to systems and methods for preparing presentation instruments for delivery to end users.
Millions of credit cards and other presentation instruments are sent to end users each year. Processing such credit cards involves a number of steps that must be accomplished while adhering to rigid security standards. Such steps can include manufacturing the credit cards including application of names and card numbers to the credit card stock. These cards are then attached to mailing stock which is addressed to the end user of the card. It is necessary to assure that the mailing stock matches the card or cards attached thereto to assure that the correct end user receives the card. The mailing stock is then folded and sent to the end user, or passed to a reject bin if there are errors. The foregoing steps are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,873, issued to Hewitt et al., and such patent is hereby incorporated by reference.
Various processes are utilized that include attaching two sided tape, or some other form of adhesive to the credit card and then affixing the card to the mailing stock. However, this approach requires that the surface area of the mailing stock be at least as large as the area of the cards to be sent. This can be problematic in situations where the cards are for an entire group, and a single mailing stock is not large enough to handle all of the cards. This can result in costs of providing multiple mailings to a single group of end users, and/or confusion by such end users. This problem has become acute where credit card products are now being offered to groups of end users. As just some examples, such groups can be defined and developed in accordance with techniques disclosed in the following U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/298,417, entitled “Method for Processing a Group of Accounts Corresponding to Different Products”, filed Apr. 23, 1999; Ser. No. 09/298,505, entitled “Method for Linking Accounts Corresponding to Different Products Together to Create a Group, filed Apr. 23, 1999; Ser. No. 09/298,521, entitled “Method for Defining a Relationship Between an Account and a Group”, filed Apr. 23, 1999; and Ser. No. 10/172,378, entitled “System and Methods for Accessing and Modifying Usage Parameters Associated with a Financial Transaction Account”, filed Jun. 13, 2002; each of which is assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Further, each of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
Further, credit cards have traditionally involved providing a credit card with a number that is associated with an account of the same number. For various reasons, credit cards are now being offered with numbers that are distinct from an account number to which the cards are associated. In part because of this, traditional methods of processing credit cards for distribution to end users have become outmoded. For example, traditional processing typically involves assuring that the number on the card matches the number on the stock to which the card was attached. Where the numbers do not match, an error results. Thus, in today's environment where many of the numbers intentionally do not match, the existing processing techniques are insufficient.
Various machines have been developed for processing credit cards for delivery to end users. One such machine is the DATACARD™ Series 2500 Inserter Machine. This machine provides a mechanism for receiving a credit card, moving the selected card to a particular insertion slot of a stock used to deliver the credit card, and inserting the card in the insertion slot. The stock is then folded and sent to the recipient of the card. Unfortunately, the machine does not provide a flexible mechanism for dealing with credit cards that are introduced in an order different from a pre-printed stock. Further, there is no mechanism for matching a credit card with an abstracted number provided on the pre-printed stock, nor for placing multiple credit cards, each with a distinct number, on a pre-printed stock including only a single number. Additionally, the machine does not include mechanisms for halting processing when some processing errors are detected. This can result in an operator having to sort through hundreds of processed credit cards to account for the error. Yet further, the machine does not provide a mechanism for inserting multiple credit cards into a single slot. Additionally, the machine includes a number of sensors and moving mechanical elements that are prone to failure. Such failures can result in down time and repair costs.
Hence, for at least the aforementioned reasons, there exists a need in the art for advanced systems and methods for preparing presentation instruments for delivery to end users.